Gastrointestinal consequences of left ventricular assist device placement

Left ventricular assist devices effectively improve hemodynamic function and reverse renal and hepatic dysfunction; however, their effects upon the gastrointestinal (GI) system have not been addressed. We evaluated GI function in 27 left ventricular assist device recipients using interviews, GI contrast studies, endoscopy, and Tc-99m sulfur colloid studies of esophageal transit and gastric emptying. While on left ventricular assist device support(mean duration of 84 days), 19 patients reported early satiety and/or nausea, and 1 was unable to tolerate oral intake. Esophageal transit time (normal, <10 sec) was borderline slow at 14 +/- 4 (mean +/- standard error of the mean) and gastric emptying (normal < 90 min) was prolonged (range of 106-506 min, mean = 283 +/- 69 min). In a 1-38 month follow-up, gastric function subjectively improved in all. Six patients had intraperitoneal device placement. One died of aspiration pneumonia secondary to small bowel obstruction, and one had prolonged inability to tolerate oral intake, which required feeding jejunostomy tube placement. The 21 patients with pre peritoneal placement of the device did not require GI operative interventions and had no catastrophic GI events; they had mild to no GI complaints. Pre peritoneal placement may mitigate early satiety and obviate serious GI complications.